by Keith Idec
Regis Prograis prefaced his evaluation of Ryan Garcia’s performance-enhancing drug ordeal by stressing he understands that the besmirched star “cheated” and that utilizing ostarine is “unlawful.”
The previous WBA/WBC 140-pound doesn’t assume, although, that Garcia’s use of a banned substance had almost as a lot affect on the result of his overturned victory versus Devin Haney as Haney has said. Haney, the previous undisputed light-weight champ, even sued Garcia late final month as a result of his rival examined optimistic for ostarine after their 12-round welterweight struggle April 20 at Barclays Heart in Brooklyn.
Haney, of Henderson, Nevada, sought damages for battery, breach of contract and fraud, in line with court docket paperwork.
The New York State Athletic Fee modified the results of their struggle from a majority-decision win for Garcia to a no-contest. The NYSAC additionally suspended Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs, 1 NC) for one 12 months and fined him greater than $1 million following a struggle by which he harm Haney (31-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC) quite a few instances, scored three knockdowns – one apiece within the seventh, tenth and eleventh rounds – and received their DAZN Pay-Per-view principal occasion on two scorecards.
Garcia, 26, has paid a steep worth for having a banned substance in his system. Prograis, whom Haney dominated in Haney’s earlier look, nonetheless doesn’t assume Garcia gained a lot of a bonus from an enhancer he suspects that the Victorville, California native most likely used to shed some pounds.
The contracted restrict for what was purported to be a junior welterweight title struggle was 140 kilos, which Haney met. Garcia formally weighed 143½ kilos, however Haney didn’t make him weigh in once more and as a substitute accepted a monetary penalty for Garcia’s unprofessionalism.
“I don’t actually assume that little, small share [of ostarine] would get you beat like that – getting dropped 3 times, simply getting completely demolished,” Prograis instructed Boxing Information. “I don’t assume that actually did something an excessive amount of. It’s nonetheless like a circus occurring, as a result of I noticed folks saying Eddie [Hearn, then Haney’s promoter] say he didn’t check optimistic this present day, however then he did check optimistic this present day. So, meaning it was most likely one thing occurring with the load.
“He was most likely combating the load, in order that was one thing he took for the load. Nonetheless, it’s unlawful, clearly. However I simply don’t assume it might play that a lot of an element, actually. However he nonetheless cheated and he nonetheless ought to be punished. It’s simply, on the finish of the day, I don’t assume it performed that a lot of an element.”
Garcia, who had some extent deducted by referee Harvey Dock for hitting Haney on a break within the seventh spherical, defeated Haney in line with judges Eric Marlinski (114-110) and Robin Taylor (115-109). Choose Max De Luca scored Garcia-Haney a draw, 112-112.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: Devin Haney punches Regis Prograis throughout their WBC World Tremendous Light-weight Title struggle at Chase Heart on December 09, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Photograph by Ezra Shaw/Getty Photos)
4 months earlier, Haney dropped Prograis within the third spherical and shut him out by the identical rating, 120-107, on the playing cards of judges Rey Danesco, Mike Ross and Fernando Villarreal. Prograis (29-2, 24 KOs) will struggle for the primary time since Haney’s straightforward win towards him on December 9 at Chase Heart in San Francisco on Saturday evening, when the New Orleans native will encounter English southpaw Jack Catterall (29-1, 13 KOs) in a 12-rounder at Co-op Dwell Area in Manchester (DAZN; 7 p.m. GMT; 2 p.m. ET).
“I don’t assume the best way [Haney] beat me made him overlook [Garcia],” Prograis mentioned. “I feel he simply knew him for a very long time. Particularly with all of the stuff that was occurring within the press conferences, I feel that he perhaps missed him. He acquired extra confidence from that, whether or not he missed him or not. Within the press conferences, I didn’t know what was occurring.
“Ryan was going loopy. He was saying all types of stuff, so no one knew what was occurring in that press convention. It was like he was consuming, he was excessive, he was smoking. So, I imply, I might assume the identical factor. ‘Sh*t, he doing all these items. He going loopy. I’mma beat him simply.’ So, perhaps he thought like that due to all of the stuff that was occurring within the press convention.”
